According to recent statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, the fastest growing metro areas are concentrated in the western and southern regions of the United States. The largest numerical gain of the nation’s 361 metro areas was the Atlanta metro area (Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta) which gained 890,000 residents from April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006. This area is the nation’s ninth largest with a population of 5.1 million as of July 1, 2006.

Dallas-Fort Worth had the second largest numeric increase, followed by Houston, Phoenix, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, as the top five metro area gainers over the same time period. 

The New Orleans metro area experienced the greatest numeric loss from April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006, followed by Pittsburgh, and Cleveland.  The New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, La., metro area also had the biggest percentage loss during the same time period, followed by Gulfport, Miss., and Weirton-Steubenville, W.Va.-Ohio.

The 50 fastest growing metro areas were almost evenly  distributed between just two regions – 23 in the West and 25 in the South.

10 U.S. Metro Areas With Highest Numerical Growth: April 1, 2000-July 1, 2006

Atlantic-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Ga.                                        890,211

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas                                          842,449

Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, Texas                                       824,547

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz.                                                787,306

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif.                                   771,314

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif.                               584,510

New York-Northern New Jersey-

Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa.                                           495,154

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va.-Md.-W.Va.          494,220

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, Fla.                                455,869

Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-Wis.                                    407,133

10 Fastest-Growing U.S. Metro Areas: April 1, 2000-July 1, 2006

St. George, Utah                                  39.8%

Greeley, Colo.                                      31.0%

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla.                29.6% 

Bend, Ore.                                           29.3%

Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev.                    29.2%

Provo-Orem, Utah                               25.9%

Naples-Marco Island, Fla.                   25.2%

Raleigh-Cary, N.C.                              24.8%

Gainesville, Ga.                                    24.2%

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz.           24.2%

More than four-fifths of all U.S. metro areas (305 out of 361) had a larger population on July 1, 2006 than on April 1, 2000.

For more details about these fast-growing metro areas, visit the U.S. Census Bureau at www.census.gov.